Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File R. 4394, John Geesler, New York

SERVICE
NUMBER _____
New York
Geesler, John
P. 4394
CONTENTS

No 35406
John Gessler NY
at 7. June 32
4394

State of New York } Montgomery County } p:
On this 26 th day of September in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and forty two personally appeared before me Phineas Randall a judge of the Court of Common Pleas of the County of Montgomery John Geesler a resident of the town of Canajoharie in County of Montgomery & State of New York of the age of eighty four years who being first duly sworn according to law doth on his oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the act of Congress passed June 7 th 1832. That he entered the service of the United States under the following named Officers and served as here in stated to wit. I. e. volunteered and enlisted for the term of nine months about the first of June in the year 1781. in the County of Montgomery & State of New York in the Company commanded by Captain Frederick Gutman in the Regiment commanded by Colonel Andrew Gray in the State of New York and that he continued to serve in said Corps until about the first day of March 1782. when the term for which he had enlisted expired. And further says that in the year 1783. in the month of May he again enlisted for the term of three months in the State of New York in the Company commanded by Capt. Nicholas Coppemole in the regiment commanded by Colonel Andrew Gray in the line of the State of New York that he continued to serve in said Corps until about the first of August 1783 at which time the term of his enlistment terminated when he was discharged from the service in store here in the State of New York that at the time he volunteered & enlisted last above mentioned he resided in the town of Palestine County of Montgomery and State of New York, that at various  the times he received no written discharges. And that he has no documentary evidence of the services he performed in the Revolutionary war. And that he knows of no person living

whose testimony he can procure, who can testify to his said services. And that during said terms of nine months & three months he was engaged in no civil employment. And that he marched from Stone Arabia to Fort Plain and thence up the Mohawk river to Fort Herkimer & through the Counties of Montgomery Herkimer and Schoharie along the valley of the Mohawk River; that since that time he has resided in the State of New York, that he hereby relinquishes every claim whatsoever to a pension except the present and declares that his name is not on the pension roll of the agency of any State.
Subscribed and sworn before me the day and year first above mentioned.
John his Geesler mark
P. Randall the first page of the Montgomery County Cassette
Montgomery County. p=
We John Warner and Peter Pats residing in the town of Canajoharie and County aforesaid hereby certify that we are well acquainted with John Geesler who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration, that we believe him to be eighty four years of age, that he is reputed & believed in the neighborhood where he resides to have been a soldier of the revolution, and that we concur in that opinion.
Sworn before me this 26 th day of September A.D. 1842.
John Warner Peter Pats J. W. Hamilton Justice
Questions proposed to said John Geesler.
Q. 3. Where and in what year were you born? Ans. I was born in Hepe Castle in Germany - in the year seventeen hundred & fifty eight

Q. 2 nd Have you any record of your age and if so where is it? Ans. I had a record which in Germany but left it there - or have lost the same since I came to this Country -
Q. 3 rd Where were you living when called into service; where have you lived since the Revolutionary war; and where do you now live? Ans. I was living when first enrolled in Stone Arabia - then in Fyffe now Montgomery County - N. York - and also at the second enrollment - I have lived since the Revolutionary War - for the first year when he enlisted - then about 15 years in Canajoharie same County - then about thirteen years in the town of Schoharie Madison County N. York - then in the town of Clay & Canton in Onondaga County N. York - for many years & now lives in Canajoharie Montgomery County N. York -
Q. 4 th How were you called into service; were you drafted; did you volunteer; or were you a substitute and if so a substitute for whom? - Ans. There was a requisition for a draft of Militia - And on both occasions I volunteered to save a draft - on my own account and not as a substitute for another -
Q. 5 th State the names of some of the regular officers who were with the troops when you served; such Continental and militia Regiments as you can recollect; and the general circumstances of your services. Ans. Andrew Gray was the Col. of his Regiment - Our New York was the Oldest Col. My Capt's name was Frederick Gatsmann - I was a stranger to the Country & the Germans & do not recollect names

I remember the name of Col. Wetlett - Col VanRensselaer & Genl Schuyler but was not personally acquainted with them I recd. from Hargreaves Army - near the High Lands - and was wounded in the act of desertion - and my horse shot from under me -
Q. 6 th Did you ever receive a discharge from the service and if so by whom was it given and what has become of it? Ans - I received a written discharge - from Capt. Freeland Jatman & from Capt. Capron - I have long since lost them - I do not know where they are -
Q. 7 th State the names of persons to whom you are known in your present neighborhood and who can testify as to your character for veracity & their belief of your services as a soldier of the Revolution. Ans - Peter Hutto - John Wamm Larsen Prop - Jonas Deifendorf & Andrew Robb -
I Richard Randall - Judge of the Court of Common Pleas of the County of Montgomery do certify that I proposed the above interrogatories to said John Giesler and that I wrote his answers to said interrogatories as above; and I also cer- tify that said John Giesler on account of old age and bodily infirmity, in my opinion is unable to attend in open court for the purpose of submitting to the above examina- tion.
Dated this 26 th day of September A.D. 1842.
R. Randall Jnt. Judge of the Montgomery County Court -

State of New York } Montgomery County } p:
I Henry Cook, Clerk of the Court of Common Pleas of the County & State aforesaid do certify that Stephen Randolph, Stephen Gates, is now a judge of the Court of Common Pleas of Montgomery County of the State aforesaid and that James W. Hamilton is now an acting Justice of the peace of the town of Minden County & State aforesaid and that their signatures as they appear upon the above proceedings are genuine and I further certify that I am personally acquainted with John Warner and John Platt, whose names appear above and that I have the greatest confidence in their integrity and all men can safely place reliance in their statements and I further certify that I am acquainted with John Guder the applicant for a pension and that I believe his statements above to be true from the character he sustains in the neighborhood where he resides and it is generally un- derstood & believed in his neighborhood that he was a sol- dier in the revolutionary war.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal of Office this 38th day of September in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and forty two.
H. Cook, Clerk

Whereas, John Geesler are a son of John Geesler deceased who was a soldier in the war of the Revolution, and who made application for a pension for his services in said war under the act of Congress passed 7 th June A.D. 1832. Which said application was rejected or suspended for further proofs - and whereas the said John Geesler died about the year 1845. leaving no will. Now therefore I do hereby constitute, appoint and fully empower and authorize irrevocably, and with power of substitution Virab Lee Esq. of the City of Washington D.C. My true and lawful attorney, for me and in my name, and in behalf, and on account of all the children of the said John Geesler deceased, to examine into, to prosecute and to receive from the Government of the United States, our rights in all, and in any mode of claim for arrears of Pension that may be due to us, the children of the said John Geesler deceased by virtue of his said application in having died leaving the same undrawn. Witness my hand and seal at Windsor this 11 th day of September A.D. 1852
Executed in presence of } J. W. C. C. C. } H. H. H. } H. H. H. }
John Geesler
State of New York } County of Montgomery ss. On this 11 th day September A.D. 1852 before me the subscriber a Justice of the Peace in and for said County personally appeared John Geesler above named, and to me known, and acknowledged the foregoing power of attorney to be his act and deed. J. W. C. C. C. Justice of the Peace
State of New York } County of Montgomery ss. John Geesler of the Town of Windsor in said County being by me duly sworn according to law, deposes that he is a son of John Geesler deceased a Revolutionary soldier named in the foregoing power of attorney, and that he is directly interested as one of the children of

[Faint, mirrored handwritten text from the reverse side of the page]
[Faint, mirrored printed text from the reverse side of the page]
J. M. ... Clerk.

STATE OF NEW-YORK, Montgomery County Clerk's Office. } ss.
Clerk of said County, do hereby certify that James W Hamilton Esquire, whose name is subscribed to the certificate of proof or acknowledgment to which this is annexed, was on the date of the same a JUSTICE OF THE PEACE, in and for said Coun- ty, and dwelling in said County, duly qualified, and authorised by law to take the same, and that the said certificate of proof, &c., is taken according to the laws of this State. And further, that I am well acquainted with the hand writing of said JUSTICE, and verily believe his signature to the said Certificate is genuine.
IN TESTIMONY WHEREOF, I have hereunto subscribed my name, and affixed my official seal, at FONDA, this 17th day of Sept 185 2 .
J. W. Van Derveer Clerk.

REJECTED
40394
P. O. _____
Service: _____
Enlisted: _____, 18
Discharged: _____, 18
Application filed: _____, 18
Alleges: _____
Re-enlisted: _____
Attorney: _____
P. O. _____
_____ Recognized. _____ Contract.
_____ Cert. of Dis. Searched for _____, 18

Washington Sept 20. 1852
Sir
Enclosed is a power of Attorney from John Gustin son of John Gustin who applied for a pension under the act of June 7. 1832 and whose claim was suspended or rejected
An opportunity of returning the papers is requested
Respectfully Yours & O T Luce
J. E. H. in the Esq. Comm r Pensions

State of New York Montgomery County and town of Minden
ss:
John Gessler makes a further declaration by way of amendment and says that he enlisted in the company of Captain Nicholas Copenall in the regiment commanded by Col. Andrew Gray - In the State of New York in the month of May 1782 and not in the year 1783. As he is now on further reflection satisfied and as was erroneously stated in his application now on file in the Pension Office & continued to serve in said company until the first of August of the same year.
And said John Gessler further declares that at the time he made his application for a pension by whom he can prove his said services. But since that time he has been informed that Henry Murphy & Peter Stouse could testify to all or nearly all of his said services. And further this declarant saith not.
John his Gessler mark
Subscribed & sworn before me this 21. day of Novr 1842.
J. W. Hamilton Justice
Montgomery County ss:
Henry Murphy being duly sworn says that he was acquainted with the above named John Gessler in the Revolutionary war and that he knew said John when he did duty under Captain Frederick Getzler in the Regiment commanded Col. Andrew Gray in the State of New York - he thinks that the first he saw said John do duty in said company as near as his deponent can now recollect was sometime in May or June 1781. And this deponent frequently saw said Gessler doing duty in said company from that time till the spring of 1782. - Cannot say exactly what time in the spring of 1782 but thinks it was in March or April that last time he saw him in said company - And this deponent further says that he knew said Gessler when he belonged to the company of Capt. Nicholas Copenall in the regiment

Commanded by Col. Andrew Gray) — Saw said Gessler very often for two or three months in the summer he thinks of 1782, perhaps it was in the spring & summer of 1782 — And this deponent further says that he was a soldier & stationed along the valley of the Mohawk in Tryon County a part of which is now called Montgomery County.
Henry Gessler
Subscribed and sworn this 17 th day of December before
me J. W. Hamilton Justice
Montgomery County ss:
Peter Hance being duly sworn says that he knew the above named John Gessler in the Revolutionary war — He saw said John Gessler doing duty in the company commanded by Capt. Frederick Getman in the regiment commanded by Col. Andrew Gray in the State of New York — Saw him at different times with said company from some time in the summer of 1781, till the spring of 1782. Deponent further says that he lived at Stone Arabia near the valley of the Mohawk now in the County of Montgomery during the war & the Revolution saw said John once in said company at Fort Herkimer and several times at Fort Plain & at other places along the valley of the Mohawk.
Further deponent says: not.
Peter Hance his mark
Sworn before me this 21 day of Nov 1842.
J. W. Hamilton Justice

State of New York -
Montgomery County ss:
I certify that James W. Smith is now an acting Justice of the Peace in the town of Minden & County aforesaid and that his signature as it appears above is genuine. Given under my hand this 21 st day of Nov 1842
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my official seal this 21 st day of November 1842,
D. Cook, Clerk of Montgomery County

Oct 28 '42
NY
John Gusler
William Lloyd Jones Washington D.C.
FREE

(Mrs. Hain Oct. 26 '92
Sir
Enclosed are papers containing further evidence in relation to John Giesler's application for a Pension which we hope will receive a careful examination at your Department. You will please have the goodness to direct your answer to D. F. Monk - as H. J. Wagner Esq. is absent and is not expected to return under two weeks.
I have the honour to subscribe myself your obedient servant
D. F. Monk

Dec 31. 42
My Wife
John G. G.
Commonwealth of Vermont Washington City D.C.
pc

Fort Plain Dec 26 th 1842
Dr Sir
Enclosed I send you all the evidence which I can obtain in relation to the Military services of John Geesler.
I have written to the Comptroller and in his answer he states that the Records have been searched and the name of John Geesler is not found.
Respectfully Yours
To
Commission of Pensions
D. H. Meek